Tell Me, What You Need
by EerieAlice
Summary: An alternate take. What if it had been Nurse Chapel in the turbo lift with Spock instead of Uhura? What would we see? What would we miss? One shot


A/N: This little one shot is to celebrate _Star Trek Into Darkness_ being released. I got this idea when I watched the turbolift scene between Spock and Uhura in 2009 Star Trek film one night. The idea was: what would the scene look like if it had been Nurse Chapel in the lift instead of Uhura? What other things would we see? How would Chapel show that she cares for him? The scene isn't identical to the one in the film as Chapel would handle herself differently and approach Spock's feelings in another way to Uhura's. The relationship between Chapel and Mr Spock was always something I loved in the TV show and I wished they'd done more with them. For the reboot franchise, the writers originally were going to go down the Spock/Chapel route, but instead chose to pair Spock with Uhura, how come? So I'm writing this to see what the possibilities we've missed...hope you enjoy my little experiment. Comment and let me know what you think...

Tell Me, What You Need

By EerieAlice

The sickbay was packed, Vulcan had been destroyed. By the Romulan, Nero. The lives spilled over and the crew of the Enterprise generously loaned their rooms to the injured vulcans that had luckily made it off the planet before he'd torn at the core.

Mr Spock, an unusual entity, surveyed the sickbay; he watched the doctors and nurses fix the vulcans who had survived the annihilation. He too was torn, between two genes fighting against one another. Part human, of his mother's grace, the other from Vulcan, which was given to him by his father. Spock had just lost his mother, he'd watched her plummet into the darkness and witnessed his home planet be swallowed by Nero's weapon of destruction.

He stood in perfect statuesque poise, trying to black out the emotion, the rage, the despair. His human side wanted to tear the Enterprise to shreds and then repeat the same operation on Nero. He could feel it - biting at his insides.

Christine Chapel watched the creature survey the sickbay. She believed in keeping a level head about her job, but when it came to the First Commanding Officer, all logic disappeared. The medical staff had found out about Vulcan and had been informed of Spock's loss. Chapel knew of his mixed gene pool and she tried to compute with herself of his feelings. How could he keep so sharp? He'd seen his mother die, disappear like a blip off the radar. How could he keep it up? And stay so calm and stoic?

Spock walked through the crowd with his hands clasped behind his back. Chapel attended to an injured Vulcan female, she wrapped a bandage around her wrist and weaved material through her fingers whilst keeping her senses on the officer tracked. Spock swept the floor, his gaze casually stroking over the injured. He approached Chapel's work station; he didn't acknowledge her and stared at the Vulcan female. He turned and moved past the other stations and headed for the exit.

Chapel knew right then and there, she had to say something to him.

"You need to get some rest," she replied courteously to the Vulcan female. "Lieutenant Riley will take you to your room."

The nurse offered her assistance and the Vulcan female got a tight grip on her arm. Chapel escorted her to the conjoining corridor which led off in webs to different parts of the Enterprise. The young lieutenant was there waiting for her.

"Riley, please take this lady to her room," Chapel said and turned to the Vulcan female. "If you need anything, anything at all, please let us know."

The Vulcan nodded and Riley led her down one of the corridors, whether Spock marched down another. He was heading to the lift. Chapel moved with stealth and entered the lift before the doors closed. She felt the lift rise and she glanced at Spock who studied the walls, his arms still locked behind his back. Chapel pressed the button and the lift came to a sudden halt between the ship floors. Spock didn't make a sound, didn't budge, he didn't question her actions, he just stared at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry." She let the words float, her fingers coiled around his hand and she cupped his hand in hers. "Tell me what you need..." Her other hand cupped his face, her fingers lay against his cheekbone and her thumb drew invisible numbers on his skin. "What do you need?" She stared into his face and she could see his eyes and lips tighten. He was thinking, how to act, how to feel. "Tell me," she said.

Silence filled the lift; Spock turned to the control panel and pressed the start button. The lift began to move and he turned his attention back to the nurse.

"I need...for everyone to continue performing admirably," Spock said, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it.

Chapel had wanted him to be honest with her, he was putting his duty before himself and she knew she had to do the same. She could feel a surge of tears but she didn't let them flow. Chapel nodded to his command and she whispered something she herself couldn't hear. Her hand fell away from his face and she kissed the knuckles of his cupped hand.

Spock felt the nurse's lips against his skin. He took in her sad blue eyes, her honey shade of hair and her voice as sweet and as heartbreaking, like a romantic melody. Who was she? What could he do? This type of emotion...he wasn't used to it, nobody ever saw him through her eyes. Was this how his parents felt when they met? What would happen if he gave into this type of emotion?

Gently, Spock pulled his hand away from the young nurse. His floor stood before him and the lift doors swished open. "Miss Chapel," he replied, inside he was choking.

"Sir," she whispered diligently.

Spock walked out onto the ship floor and he could sense this emotion fighting him. Breaking the barriers behind his eyes, spreading all over him like a tidal wave. He glanced over his shoulder and he locked eyes with the nurse, she stared back at him and pressed the button on the control panel. The doors closed in front of her and for a second, Spock felt the whole ship fall away from him, it was her eyes that held him to the spot, keeping him safe. The lift continued on its path and with one breath, she was gone.


End file.
